Aric Logsdon, PhD

A: In high school, I had the privilege of meeting a college mentor (Jeffrey Cross, PhD) who realized my interest in this research and thought I should go to Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and major in neuroscience. I hit the ground running and performed my own independent neuroscience research at such a young age. Ever since I was 16 — now over 20 years of my life — I have had an interest in conducting neuroscience research to better understand the onset and progression of various neurological diseases.

Q: What are the unique sources of your research inspiration?

A: Early on, I was inspired to understand how an animal’s physiology impacts their daily lives. I now think about other evolutionary developments and how we can better understand how the brain functions. For instance, if we’re modeling research for a brain injury, we should use animals with brains structurally similar to humans. If you look at a human brain and a pig brain, they both have undulations, or concave surfaces. If you look at a mouse brain, it’s smooth. So actually, causing injury to the smooth brain may not be the optimal approach in helping translate therapeutic options effectively.

Q: Does the public realize how many people are affected by traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)?

A: I think there is an increase in public awareness for anyone watching sports or for anyone who has children in sports. Careful implementation of the concussion protocol and the advent of a blue tent on the sidelines of NFL games brings the focus of TBI to the forefront of being detrimental to long-term brain health.

Q: Explain your current projects related to TBIs.

A: One project is chronic neuropsychiatric outcomes of mild impacts to the head — concussive or subconcussive forces. We are testing novel therapeutic options for those with a history of mild repetitive TBIs. The other concept involves TBI-induced brain sugar accumulation. The brain makes its own sugar, and the unique composition of brain sugar produced during early development can function as a glue that binds to and brings together all the cells that are growing as we mature into adulthood. Our brain cells need to build efficient communication pathways called circuits, and the glue holding these circuits together stems from the sugar our brains create. In adulthood, those circuits are set into place by this glue. If you are subject to a brain injury during development, you can delay the formation of those connections, which could lead to the development of certain neuropsychiatric disorders.